1.
cutting word, kireji
A special category of words used in traditional Japanese poetry, especially haiku, to create a pause or sense of closure. Common kireji include や, かな, and けり.
俳句には切れ字がある。
Haiku have cutting words.
「や」は代表的な切れ字だ。
"Ya" is a representative cutting word.
切れ字を使うことで、俳句に余韻を持たせることができる。
By using cutting words, one can give haiku a lingering resonance.
切れ字 literally means "cutting character" and refers to words that create a grammatical or rhythmic break in Japanese poetry.
COMMON KIREJI:
- や: Creates a pause, often for emphasis or comparison
- かな: Expresses emotion, typically at the end of a poem
- けり: Indicates realization or exclamation
EXAMPLE IN FAMOUS HAIKU:
古池や蛙飛び込む水の音
(The old pond / A frog jumps in / The sound of water)
Here, や acts as the 切れ字, creating a pause after "古池".
RELATED TERMS:
- 季語: seasonal word (another essential element of haiku)
- 俳句: haiku poetry